Evita是阿根廷前總統貝隆的夫人,她出生貧寒,做過舞女和影視演員,她靠姿色和手腕成為貝隆夫人后,為阿根廷的社會、勞工、醫(yī)療等方面均作出過卓越的貢獻,逝世時年僅33歲。貝隆夫人的傳奇經歷一向是劇作家非常感興趣的題材,1976年,韋伯首先推出了由朱麗葉·科文頓(Julie Covington)演唱的單曲《阿根廷別為我哭泣》(Don't Cry for Me Argentina),隨著這首歌的轟動,由寇姆韋爾金森加盟的唱片隨即發(fā)行,而且不出意料地廣受歡迎。1978年,在萬千音樂劇迷的企盼下,《貝隆夫人》在倫敦愛德華王子劇院正式上演,創(chuàng)下了連演八年的驚人紀錄。次年9月,它又登上了百老匯的舞臺,拉開了英國音樂劇攻陷百老匯的序幕。
1996年由麥當娜、班德拉斯和普萊斯主演的電影版本中,其中移植了舞臺劇的所有歌曲。正如《萬世巨星》被宗教人士認為貶低耶穌一樣,這部電影由于描寫了貝隆夫人早年的風塵生涯,在開拍時就遭到了阿根廷群眾的抗議和抵制,再加上導演挑選以性感出位的表演而聞名的歌星麥當娜來出演阿根廷的國母,更是屢遭非議。后來的事實證明,麥當娜的演出風格無損于她對角色的精當把握,也不會遏制她的藝術天分和敬業(yè)精神,盡管韋伯為適應麥當娜的音域特地把《阿根廷別為我哭泣》降了幾度,但她的演繹自然貼切,歌聲真切感人,不但在拍攝時感動了全體攝制組,還使了整個阿根廷完全接受了麥當娜扮演的這個角色,為這首名曲增添了新的光彩。麥當娜也因此獲得當年金球獎最佳女主角獎。
《Don't Cry for Me Argentina》中英雙語歌詞:
It won't be easy,you'll think it strange
這不容易,你也許好奇
When I try to explain how I feel
讓我敞開心扉
That I still need your love, after all that I've done
即使事到如今,我仍需要你的愛
You won't believe me
你不會相信我
All you will see is a girl you once knew
你眼中的我依然是你初識時的摸樣
Although she's dressed up to the nines
只不過衣錦華裳 (be dressed up to the nines 穿華麗的衣裳)
At sixes and sevens with you
只不過曾經失和 (at sixes and sevens 亂七八糟,不和)
I had to let it happen, I had to change
我必須出走,我必須改變
Couldn't stay all my life down at heel
我不能一生潦倒 (down at heel 鞋后跟破損的,意思指貧窮、邋遢)
Looking out of the window, staying out of the sun
不想旁觀,不想在陰影中躲藏 (stay out of 不參與,置之度外)
So I chose freedom
所以我選擇自由
Running around trying,everything new
四處奔走,嘗試一切
But nothing impressed me at all
但是沒有什么讓我留戀 (impress 印,留下印象)
I never expected it too
失我所望
Don't cry for me Argentina
阿根廷,不要為我哭泣
The truth is I never left you
我從未將你背棄
All through my wild days
縱使花天酒地
My mad existence
縱使狂野不羈
I kept my promise
但我謹記我的的諾言
Don't keep your distance
不要離我遠去 (keep one's distance 保持疏遠)
And as for fortune, and as for fame
對于財富和聲譽
I never invited them in
我從未汲汲以求
Though it seemed to the world they were all I desired
盡管世人以為我追名逐利
They are illusions
人生如夢
They're not the solutions they promised to be
名利轉眼成空
The answer was here all the time
至始至終唯一長存——
I love you and hope you love me
你我相濡以沫
Don't cry for me argentina
阿根廷,不要為我哭泣
The truth is I never left you
我從未將你背棄
All through my wild days
縱使花天酒地
My mad existence
縱使狂野不羈
I kept my promise
但謹記我的的諾言
Don't keep your distance
不要離我遠去
Have I said too much
千言萬語
There's nothing more I can think of to say to you
盡在無言中
But all you have to do is look at me
望穿秋水
To know that every word is true
篤信箴言